Home / Motor Insurance / RTO Office - Regional Transport Offices in India

What is RTO?

The full form of RTO is Regional Transport Office. It is a government body that is in charge of the registration of vehicles and issuance of drivers’ licenses. Additionally, the RTO in each state is responsible for maintaining the database of its drivers and vehicles.

Under section 213(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Motor Vehicles Department has been established. This is a central act applicable throughout the country. Motor vehicle department is responsible for enforcing various provisions of this act. This department is headed by the Transport Commissioner.

Every state and city has their own RTO and is responsible to carry out the functions and activities that are laid out in Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The Functions of Regional Transport Office (RTO)

As mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, here are some of the tasks followed out by RTO that you should know about

Driving License Issuing

Issuing driving license is not the responsibility of RTO, some of their other tasks include: • Testing and issue of learning license
• Renewal of Driving license
• Issue of international driving license
• Issue of license for motor driving school
• Issue of license for driving instructors.
• Issue of a conductor’s license.

Vehicle Registration

Along with a driver’s license, registering your vehicle is also essential. Some of the responsibilities that fall under this category are:
• Issue and renewal of Registration Certificate for Motor Vehicles
• Transfer of ownership in Registration Certificate
• Entry/Hypothecation in R.C. Book.
• Recording of changes in Registration Certificate
• Issue of NOC (No objection certificate)
• Issue of fitness certificate

• Permits for tourist & transport vehicles

Collecting Taxes for Government

Few taxes are levied on the motor vehicles like the one time Road tax which is collected by the RTO. Following are the categories:
• Road Tax on motor vehicles (also known as MV Tax- Motor Vehicle Tax)
• Collection of IMV Fees.
• Departmental Action cases.

Vehicle Inspection at Check Posts

Appropriate inspection of vehicles is also carried out by the RTO. The vehicles on the road need to follow the rules laid out by the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Environmental Upgradation

Maintaining the pollution is a huge responsibility and also to keep it under check is important. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to make sure that it happens, the following two points are important:
• CNG/LPG Conversion
• PUC Testing Centres.

Road Safety Measures

Unfortunately, India witnesses many road accidents every year for various reasons. The RTO is responsible for maintaining road safety measures in order to reduce unwarranted risks.

What is Vehicle Registration at Regional Transport Office?

Having a motor vehicle is a dream for many citizens in India. If an individual wishes to drive the vehicle in the country, he/she has to register it as it is mandatory as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Here’s a list of documents required for vehicle registration process at Regional Transport Office:

• Form 20 i.e. application form for registration of the vehicle

• Age and address proof documents

• Passport size photographs

• Form 21 i.e. sales certificate of the vehicle

• Form 22 i.e. roadworthiness certificate

• PUC certificate

• Insurance of the vehicle to be registered

• For registration of an imported vehicle, customs clearance certificate is required

• Sales tax certificate, if the vehicle has been bought from one state and has to be registered in the other.

• No Objection Certificate from RTO and dealer has to be submitted if the vehicle is bought in one state and registered in another state.

• Temporary registration number

• Invoice of the vehicle

• Design approval has to be obtained from Transport Minister for registration of semi-trailer and trailer vehicles

• Form 34, in case of loan hypothecation

• Applicable application fees has to be paid

The owner of the vehicle needs to visit the RTO with the above documents, submit them and pay the applicable application fee. After the verification of the documents and inspection of the vehicle, the vehicle number is issued to the owner. After 7 days, a registration certificate is issued that acts as a proof stating the registration of the vehicle.

Re-Registration of a Motor Vehicle in New State

In case the vehicle is transferred to another state, re-registration of a motor vehicle can be. The documents required for re-registration of the vehicle are almost the same in addition to which NOC has to be obtained from the vehicle financer and the original registering certificate has to be submitted. On submitting the documents and paying the application fee, the vehicle is re-registered within a span of 15 days.

Vehicle Ownership Transfer at Regional Transport Office

The following points need to be considered for transfer of vehicle ownership

• Form 29 and 30 are required for application for transfer of vehicle ownership

• If the vehicle is registered in another state, NOC has to be obtained from the RTO where the vehicle was first registered.

• NOC has to be obtained from the financer if the vehicle is purchased through finance

• PUC certificate

• Vehicle insurance certificate

• Applicable application fees and road taxes

• Registration certificate of the vehicle

• Affidavit stating the sale and purchase of the vehicle

• Age and address proof documents along with passport size photographs

RTO State Codes of India

RTO LOCATIONS	RTO CODE	RTO LOCATIONS	RTO CODE
Andhra Pradesh	AP	Arunachal Pradesh	AR
Assam	AS	Bihar	BR
Chhattisgarh	CG	Goa	GA
Gujarat	GJ	Haryana	HR
Himachal Pradesh	HP	Jammu and Kashmir	JK
Jharkhand	JH	Karnataka	KA
Kerala	KL	Madhya Pradesh	MP
Maharashtra	MH	Manipur	MN
Meghalaya	ML	Mizoram	MZ
Nagaland	NL	Odisha	OD
Punjab	PB	Rajasthan	RJ
Sikkim	SK	Tamil Nadu	TN
Tripura	TR	Uttar Pradesh	UP
Uttarakhanad	UK	West Bengal	WB
Telangana	TS

RTO Code of Union Territories

RTO LOCATIONS	RTO CODE
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	AN
Chandigarh	CH
Dadra and nagar Haveli	DN
Daman and Diu	DD
Lakshadweep	LD
National Capital Territory of Delhi	DL
Puducherry	PY